ISRO

ISRO 2023: 30-Day Study Plan for Success

Day	Topics
1	Start by taking a FREE ISRO Scientist/Engineer (Mechanical) Mock Test Go through PYQs. Fluid Mechanics: Fluid properties; fluid statics, manometry, buoyancy, forces on submerged bodies, stability of floating bodies; control-volume analysis of mass, momentum and energy; fluid acceleration; differential equations of continuity and momentum. Turbomachinery: Impulse and reaction principles, velocity diagrams, Pelton-wheel, Francis and Kaplan turbines.
2	Thermodynamics: Thermodynamic systems and processes; properties of pure substances, behaviour of ideal and real gases; zeroth and first laws of thermodynamics, calculation of work and heat in various processes.
3	Thermodynamics Applications:– Power Plant Engineering: Air and gas compressors; vapour and gas power cycles, concepts of regeneration and reheat, Boilers, Steam Nozzel, Steam Turbine, Steam Powerplant. I.C. Engines: Air-standard Otto, Diesel and dual cycles, Engine Cooling and Lubrication, IC Engine Performance and Testing. Refrigeration and air-conditioning: Vapour and gas refrigeration and heat pump cycles; properties of moist air, psychrometric chart, basic psychrometric processes.
4	Take ISRO Scientist/Engineer (Mechanical) Mock Test 2 + Complete Analysis & Feedback Vibrations: Free and forced vibration of single degree of freedom systems, effect of damping; vibration isolation; resonance; critical speeds of shafts.
5	Design: Design for static and dynamic loading; failure theories; fatigue strength and the S-N diagram; principles of the design of machine elements such as bolted, riveted and welded joints; shafts, gears, rolling and sliding contact bearings, brakes and clutches, springs.
6	Engineering Mechanics: Free-body diagrams and equilibrium; friction and its applications; trusses and frames; virtual work; kinematics and dynamics of rigid bodies in plane motion.
7	Strength of Materials: Stress and strain, elastic constants, Poisson’s ratio; Mohr’s circle for plane stress and plane strain; thin cylinders; shear force and bending moment diagrams; bending and shear stresses; deflection of beams; torsion of circular shafts.
8	Take ISRO Scientist/Engineer (Mechanical) Mock Test 3 + Complete Analysis & Feedback
9	Theory of Machines: Displacement, velocity and acceleration analysis of plane mechanisms; dynamic analysis of linkages; cams; gears and gear trains; flywheels and governors; balancing of reciprocating and rotating masses.
10	Engineering Materials: Structure and properties of engineering materials, phase diagrams, heat treatment, stress-strain diagrams for engineering materials. Casting, Forming and Joining Processes: Different types of castings, design of patterns, moulds and cores; solidification and cooling; riser and gating design. Plastic deformation and yield criteria; fundamentals of hot and cold working processes.
11	Take ISRO Scientist/Engineer (Mechanical) Mock Test 4 + Complete Analysis & Feedback Machining Processes: Basic machine tools (lathe, drilling machine, etc.), machining operations (turning, facing, etc.), geometry of single point cutting tools (ASA system), cutting fluids/lubricants etc., tool life & wear mechanisms (Taylor’s equation), economics of machining (cutting speed/feed/depth, etc.).
12	Revision/Test Series for Week 1 & Week 2 Topics
13	Industrial Engineering: Production Planning & Control (PPC): Forecasting models (moving average/exponential smoothing etc.), aggregate production planning/master production schedule/material requirement planning/inventory control/ABC analysis/EOQ models/P & Q systems etc., JIT/lean manufacturing/Kanban system etc., project management techniques (PERT/CPM/crashing/resource levelling etc.). Operations Research (OR): Linear programming problem (LPP)/graphical/simplex/duality/sensitivity analysis/transportation/assignment problems etc., integer programming problem (branch & bound/cutting plane methods etc.), game theory (two person zero sum games etc.), sequencing models (Johnson’s algorithm etc.), queuing models (M/M/1/M/M/C/M/G/1 etc.), simulation models.
14	Engineering Mathematics: Linear Algebra: Matrix algebra, systems of linear equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Calculus: Functions of single variable, limit, continuity and differentiability, mean value theorems, indeterminate forms; evaluation of definite and improper integrals; double and triple integrals; partial derivatives, total derivative, Taylor series (in one and two variables), maxima and minima, Fourier series; gradient, divergence and curl, vector identities, directional derivatives, line, surface and volume integrals, applications of Gauss, Stokes and Green’s theorems.
15	General English: Reading Comprehension Grammar Vocabulary Verbal Ability Synonyms Antonyms Error Spotting Jumbled Sentences Fill in the Blanks
16	Reasoning Ability: Verbal Reasoning Non-Verbal Reasoning Logical Reasoning Data Interpretation Puzzles Seating Arrangement Coding-Decoding Blood Relations Syllogism Clocks & Calendars Direction & Distance Ordering & Ranking Analogy Series Statement & Assumption Statement & Conclusion Statement
17	General Awareness: Current Affairs Indian History Indian Polity Indian Economy Indian Geography World Geography Indian Constitution Science & Technology Environment Books & Authors Awards & Honours Sports Art & Culture Important Days National & International Organizations
18	Industrial Engineering: Engineering Economy & Costing: Elementary cost accounting/cost sheet/marginal costing/break even analysis etc., techniques for evaluation of capital investments (payback period/ARR/NPV/IRR etc.). Work System Design: Taylor’s scientific management, Gilbreths’s contributions, productivity concepts & measurements, method study, micro-motion study, principles of motion economy, work measurement, time study, work sampling, ergonomics, job evaluation & merit rating.
19	Engineering Mathematics: Probability and Statistics: Definitions of probability and sampling theorems; conditional probability; mean, median, mode and standard deviation; random variables; binomial, Poisson and normal distributions. Numerical Methods: Numerical solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations; integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rules; single and multi-step methods for differential equations. Differential equations: First order equations (linear and nonlinear); higher order linear differential equations with constant coefficients; Euler-Cauchy equation; initial and boundary value problems; Laplace transforms; solutions of heat, wave and Laplace’s equations. Complex variables: Analytic functions; Cauchy-Riemann equations; Cauchy’s integral theorem and integral formula; Taylor and Laurent series.
20	Machining Processes: Metrology & Inspection: Limits/fits/tolerances (IS codes), linear/angular measurements (vernier/micrometer, etc.), comparators (mechanical/pneumatic/electrical, etc.), surface finish measurement (profilometer, etc.), screw thread measurement (pitch diameter/effective diameter etc.). Computer Integrated Manufacturing: Basic concepts of CAD/CAM/CIM/CAE/FMS/CNC/Robotics etc., additive manufacturing techniques (3D printing, etc.).
22	Reasoning Ability: Course of Action Statement & Argument Cause & Effect Inference Decision Making Data Sufficiency Alphabet Test Number System HCF & LCM Decimal Fraction Simplification Ratio & Proportion Unitary Method Percentage Time & Distance Time & Work Profit & Loss Average Simple Interest Compound Interest Algebra Trigonometry Geometry Mensuration
23	Revise Reasoning Ability
24	Revision/Test Series for Week 3 Topics
25	Revise Engineering Mathematics
26	Revise General English
27	Revise Engineering Materials
28	Revise Machining Processes
29	Revise Important Topics
30	Revision/Test Series for Week 4 Topics